Should people who need subsidised medical assistance to conceive have to show the state they will be good parents? These ethicists think they do.

Since fertility isn’t linked to one’s calibre as a parent, the state can only be justified in placing conditions on all prospective parents, regardless of fertility status.
PROBunches and Bits {Karina}/FlickrOktober 25, 2015

Carl Djerassi, who died recently aged 91, has been honoured globally for his work. In his remarkable career he also did pioneering work with antihistamines and topical corticosteroids for inflammation…

Observers may be quick to declare social trends “good” or “bad” for families, but such conclusions are rarely justified. What’s good for one family – or group of families – may be bad for another. And…

By 2100 there could be 11 billion people on Earth, but there’s no quick way to slow growth.
James Cridland/FlickrNovember 6, 2014

The rise in population since 1900 has been so rapid that up to 14% of all humans that have ever lived are still alive today, according to recent research. Other research shows that slowing population growth…

Safeguards to protect women and children should not be eroded.
Image from shutterstock.comOktober 29, 2013

For singles and couples who can’t naturally conceive and carry a baby to term, surrogacy is sometimes considered an option to have a child. Current laws across Australia permit “altruistic” surrogacy which…

More than 50 years after Australian women first had access to the oral contraceptive pill, research into new contraceptives has stalled and women are stuck with new versions of old products to manage their…

A vaginal ring could one day prevent pregnancy and STIs… but it’s still a long way off.
Flickr/dhammzaSeptember 7, 2012

By 2020, 1.2 billion people or 16% of the world’s population will be entering their childbearing years, with 90% of these in the developing world. Along with education, the availability of effective contraception…